Posted on 04/23/2026 6:43:06 AM PDT by BenLurkin
At the beginning of last year, the mother’s only child died in a traffic accident.
His family hoped to conceal the news from his mother, who is in her 80s and has heart disease.
The man’s son contacted Zhang, asking him to create a digital twin of his father by providing numerous pictures, videos and audio recordings of him speaking in his dialect.
The creation looks exactly like the dead man and even mimics his habit of leaning forward while speaking, the report said.
The virtual son talks to the mother every day via a video call at a chat app.
The mother often urges the “son” to eat well, wear warm clothes and pay attention to his personal safety when going out.
In reply, the “son” promises he will follow her advice. He adds that he has to work in another city to earn money and could not return to accompany her.
So far the mother is not aware that her son is dead.
(Excerpt) Read more at scmp.com ...
This is terrible. The poor mother wasn’t given a chance to mourn her son or be there for his funeral. It’s on the same level as keeping a terminal diagnosis from someone.
Trivia time!!!
“Let Pookie, finish!”
Stupid. Doesn’t say the mom has dementia or anything cognitive. How does the AI answer questions the mother asks about memories that only her and the son know?
Sounds healthy
Does it stay in the basement and play video games all day?
wy69
“The creation looks exactly like the dead man and even mimics his habit of leaning forward while speaking, the report said.”
He looks exactly like the dead man?
Is that a kindness, or a disconnect from reality?
He looka like a man.
Broadening the topic — in the every near future, I expect most people will prefer to interact with AI rather than other people. Although it may not really be a wholly new phenomenon, it is my observation that in the 21st century (at least), people don’t really like people. Virtual people will just be easier to deal with.
Only son — remember Chinas one child policy decades ago, they killed the daughters before birth.
If Xi were ever to attack Taiwan with his combat inexperienced, one child only army and untested equipment, he is going to need many comfort clones for the inconsolable.
Coming to a future near you!
Wait till it announces it is trans
Necromancy
Sounds like another Urban Myth in the making. I seriously doubt if any of this is true .
The tv show “Matlock”, which is excellent btw, just did an episode featuring the main character interacting with an AI avatar of her dead daughter on her laptop. The episode also included a scenario of using AI in the courtroom to determine the wished of a deceased person. That is too far out IMO, but watch for it to happen in some US court within a year or so.
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